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kaitlinmmcc's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is a beautifully written book that doesn’t pull you in right away but has held up on many re-reads. The series only gets richer and more beautiful with the following 3 books. World is very queer and gender egalitarian without ever feeling preachy.
megatsunami's review against another edition
4.0
A little slow to start (too many characters/ cultures/ situations introduced in the first 50 pages), but became gripping and hard to put down! Really enjoyed the quality of the writing and the ideas presented through the characters. As a side note, the seamless integration of characters' varying sexual orientations was refreshing.
charlotekerstenauthor's review against another edition
And thus r/fantasy bingo 2023 is done!!!!!!!
I enjoyed this while reading but its flaws stand out quite a bit. RTC
I enjoyed this while reading but its flaws stand out quite a bit. RTC
readerpants's review against another edition
4.0
Hmm, took me a bit to get into it -- I found it a little earnestly preachy in a "the moral of this story is..." way, and I have many questions about the worldbuilding -- but once I did I was absorbed! Checked out the second one from the library right away before I forgot the details in the first. Bumped up a half star for the found family and queernormative world. Definitely in the Delia Sherman / Ellen Kushner style of progressive white lady fantasy, felt like it came from the late 90s/early 00s in an enjoyable way.
grid's review against another edition
5.0
This was fascinating and beautiful. Hard to put down at times, and often as action packed as they come. At other times it was downright philosophical, although the philosophy never overstayed its welcome.
The magic was interesting, if never explained to my liking.
I will definitely read more in the series!
The magic was interesting, if never explained to my liking.
I will definitely read more in the series!
alex0931's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
elusivity's review against another edition
4.0
Shaftal resides in a world free of patriarchy, where women can be hardened and brusque and men can be gentle and caretaking, and vice versa. Homosexuality is just as common as heterosexuality, merely a fact that exist in the world. In fact, among the named characters, homosexuality seems a more natural orientation.
Zanja na'Tarwein, a Fire blood, is Speaker for her tribe to the much bigger country Shaftal. The country falls, overtaken by Sainnites. Her entire tribe is slaughtered. She is captured and tortured. Karis the Earth witch saves her, but must send her to fight with the dwindling Shaftal forces fighting against the Sainnites.
A novel populated by vivid, breathing human beings, from major characters down to the extras populating the background of taverns. It's the magic of good writing, so that reading felt more akin to traveling to a foreign land, an experience filled with intriguing textures and depth, rather than being swept up in a plot-driven video game.
Zanja na'Tarwein, a Fire blood, is Speaker for her tribe to the much bigger country Shaftal. The country falls, overtaken by Sainnites. Her entire tribe is slaughtered. She is captured and tortured. Karis the Earth witch saves her, but must send her to fight with the dwindling Shaftal forces fighting against the Sainnites.
A novel populated by vivid, breathing human beings, from major characters down to the extras populating the background of taverns. It's the magic of good writing, so that reading felt more akin to traveling to a foreign land, an experience filled with intriguing textures and depth, rather than being swept up in a plot-driven video game.
foggy_rosamund's review against another edition
5.0
After reading this utterly immersive fantasy, I'm not sure what else to do with myself. All other books seem pale and uninteresting in comparison. Fire Logic gets off to a slow start, but within the first quarter, becomes completely engrossing. It centres around Zanja, who lives in a small mountain settlement with a tribe that resists contact with outsiders. But they are on the borders of the country Shaftal, which is under attack by an occupying force, than Sainnites. The other central character is Keris, a magically powerful half-giant, who is a drug addict and lives in obscurity, hiding her considerable powers. Both characters are studied in depth, and immediately felt real to me. Marks is an excellent writers, making her points and evoking her characters subtly. Her descriptions of a war-torn, traumatised country could feel heavy-handed, but they don't. That being said, there are moments of true brutality and horror in this book, which can be hard to read.
I objected to one of Marks' decisions: one of her main characters is paralysed, and is healed by magic. This cure-narrative felt like a too-rapid dismissal of disabled lives. However, I enjoyed this book so intensely that I can overlook this shortcoming, particularly because Marks handles trauma and drug-addiction so well. I also love the way she writes about queer characters, and the queer relationships are understated and beautiful. Highly recommended.
I objected to one of Marks' decisions: one of her main characters is paralysed, and is healed by magic. This cure-narrative felt like a too-rapid dismissal of disabled lives. However, I enjoyed this book so intensely that I can overlook this shortcoming, particularly because Marks handles trauma and drug-addiction so well. I also love the way she writes about queer characters, and the queer relationships are understated and beautiful. Highly recommended.